The present invention relates to a connector having a connector plug and a connector receptacle for connecting a cable such as an FPC (flexible printed circuit board) to a substrate.
As shown in FIG. 53A, FIG. 53B, and FIG. 54, a conventional connector plug A for a connector with a shield used for interconnecting substrates in notebook computers and other electronic devices has a plurality of contacts 710, a metal first shell 720, a conductive metal second shell 740, and a molded resin insulator 730. The conductive metal second shell 740 is insert molded with the molded resin insulator 730, and a plurality of contacts 710 are press fit into the molded resin insulator 730.
A connector receptacle fitting 750 mating with a connector receptacle B as shown in FIG. 55A, FIG. 55B, and FIG. 55C is disposed to one side of the molded resin insulator 730, and an FPC fitting 760 mating with an FPC is disposed to the opposite side of the molded resin insulator 730.
A drawback of this conventional connector plug A is the number of parts in the shell, that is, the shell consists of two parts, i.e., the first shell 720 and second shell 740.
Another problem is that in order to reduce the overall thickness, the insulator 730 of the connector receptacle fitting 750 necessarily becomes thinner and mechanically weaker, making it necessary to insert mold the second shell 740 in order to retain sufficient strength.
A yet further problem is that the second shell 740 of the connector plug A contacts the conductive metal shell 774 of connector receptacle B, but because the second shell 740 has no flexible parts, ground contacts 772 for flexibly contacting the second shell 740 must be provided on the connector receptacle B side.
More specifically, a connector receptacle B as shown in FIG. 56A, FIG. 56B, FIG. 57, and FIG. 58 has been proposed.
This connector receptacle B has multiple contacts 771 for conductively contacting the contacts 710 of connector plug A, ground contacts 772 connected to a ground pattern of a wiring board, a support frame 773 made of a synthetic resin or other insulation material for supporting contacts 771 and ground contacts 772, and a metal shell 774 holding the contacts 771, ground contacts 772, and support frame 773.
As shown in FIG. 57 and FIG. 58, multiple contacts 771 are press fit into the support frame 773 at substantially equal intervals along the long side, and ground contacts 772 are similarly press fit into the support frame 773 separately from contacts 771. The open side of the shell 774 is then fit over the support frame 773 so as to enclose the contacts 771, ground contacts 772, and support frame 773, thus completing the connector receptacle B assembly. Contact terminals 771a disposed at the ends of the contacts 771 protrude from the back of the shell 774. The connector receptacle B is mounted to a wiring board with the contact terminals 771a bonded to the conductor pattern on the wiring board, and connector plug A is inserted to the front opening of the shell 774.
The shell 774 is stamped or pressed from a single piece of metal, and has a U-shaped section.
The shape of this prior art shell is thus complex and press forming the shell is increasingly difficult as the shell becomes thinner.
The present invention has been developed to overcome the above-described disadvantages.
It is accordingly an objective of the present invention to provide a connector having a connector plug with an FPC connection shield that can be made thin and is made of few parts, and a connector receptacle that can be made thinner without sacrificing shell manufacturability.
In accomplishing the above and other objectives, the present invention provides a connector having a connector plug and a connector receptacle for connecting a cable and a substrate where the connector plug has a shell made of a conductive material of which both sides are open, and an insulator made of a resin molding. The insulator has a first fitting part on a first side for mating with the connector receptacle, a second fitting part on a second side for mating with the cable, and a plurality of contacts disposed on the second fitting part side. The shell has flexible parts for flexibly contacting a connector receptacle shell mated with the first fitting part. The insulator is fit into the shell from an opening on one side of the shell.
By thus providing flexible parts for flexibly contacting the shell of the connector receptacle with the shell of the connector plug, it is not necessary to provide ground contacts on the connector receptacle. The number of parts in the connector receptacle is therefore reduced and the connector can be made thinner.
Preferably, recesses substantially U-shaped in section are formed on a surface of the insulator so as to extend in the direction of the first fitting part from the base between the insulator contacts, and the flexible parts are disposed inside these recesses. Interference between the insulator and flexible parts of the shell is thus prevented, and a thin connector plug can be achieved.
Further preferably, a shoulder for holding the cable to the contacts is formed on the second fitting part side on an inside surface of the shell opposite the insulator contacts. The contacts can thus only be deformed the size of the shoulder of the shell plus the thickness of the cable such as a flexible printed circuit board. Contact pressure between the contacts and a signal pattern of the cable, and between the shell and a ground pattern of the cable, is thus increased, and reliable contact can be assured.
Yet further preferably, the cable is a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) and a pressing part for pressing and positioning the FPC to an inside surface of the shell is formed at an edge of the shell opening on the second fitting part side. Deformation of the FPC away from this inside surface when the FPC is provisionally inserted or the FPC is fully connected can thus be prevented.
Yet further preferably, the shell has stops formed on both sides of the opening on the second fitting part side for preventing removal of the FPC, and the FPC has a protrusion formed on both sides at an end thereof. With this configuration, when the end of the FPC is inserted to the opening of the shell of the connector plug that is then provisionally positioned at a first position with respect to the insulator and when both the shell of the connector plug and the FPC are slid toward the first fitting part side from the first position to a second position where the insulator and the shell of the connector plug engage, the contacts flexibly deform to hold the FPC between the contacts and the inside surface of the shell of the connector plug.
The FPC is thus positioned by the FPC presser parts and stops of the shell when the FPC is inserted, skewed insertion of the FPC is thus prevented, and it is easier to fit the FPC to the shell.
Yet further preferably, the connector receptacle has a plurality of contacts for conductively contacting the contact of the connector plug, a support frame made of an insulation material for supporting and arraying the contacts, a first shell made of metal extending through the length of the contact array, and a second shell extending through the length of the contact array. The first and second shells engage with each other so that the contacts of the connector receptacle and the support frame are disposed therebetween, and an insertion opening for inserting the connector plug is formed therebetween, wherein a plurality of recesses enabling free insertion and removal of the contacts of the connector receptacle are formed to the support frame along an open edge of the insertion opening.
Interference between the support frame and ends of the contacts is thus prevented when the connector plug is inserted from the insertion opening, and the connector can be made even thinner.
Further preferably, the support frame has a fitting hole into which is press fit a tab projecting from the first or second shell to the other shell. Positive contact between the first and second shells can thus be assured, and the ground potential can be stabilized when mounted to a circuit board. It is also possible to suppress deformation, particularly increasing the opening, in the thickness direction of the connector when the connector plug is inserted from the insertion opening.
Yet further preferably the tab of the one shell is welded to the other shell. This further improves conductivity between the first and second shells, further improving the stability of the ground connection, and increasing strength in the insertion direction of the first and second shells.
Yet further preferably an insulation member for insulating between the first shell and each of the contacts is formed integrally to the first shell, and the insulation member has a press-fitting part to which is press fit a tab projecting from the second shell toward the insulation member. This further suppresses deformation in the thickness direction of the connector when the connector plug is inserted from the insertion opening.